“Hello.” The man leaned against the counter and stared straight at Cory. “So, uh, how exactly do you know Aaron?”
“We met a few weeks ago.” Cory was never afraid of anything, and right now he had to remind himself about that. He stood straighter and lifted his chin. “At the Mission Youth Center.”
The man looked a little less mean at that information. “So, what…Aaron singled you out of all those kids and asked you to be his guest today? Is that it?”
Cory looked over his shoulder, but he couldn’t see Megan. She was probably up the stairs on the empty cement sidewalk, waiting for him. He turned to the man again. “Not exactly.” Megan didn’t want him to talk about Aaron being his dad. But this guy was getting on his nerves. “I guess I was special to him.”
Mr. Bond narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“Because…” He licked his lower lip and took a step back. Be brave, Cory, be brave. He stuck out his chest. “Because I wrote him a letter and Derrick Anderson gave it to him.”
“A fan letter?” The man looked very suspicious this time. Like when his teacher caught Zoe Walters cheating off Cory’s paper in math last week. “You wrote him a fan letter, so he invited you to sit in his box?”
Cory needed air. He took a breath, but it didn’t seem to help. There was only one way to get the guy off his back. He pulled the cookies to his chest. “I think it was more ’cause of what I told Aaron in the letter.”
“What’d you tell him?” The other men were all talking to each other. No one even looked their way or tried to interrupt.
So Cory had no choice this time. He didn’t blink. “I told him he was my dad.”
Until that moment, Mr. Bond had a sort of tan type of face. But now his mouth opened up, and little by little his face turned gray. Like maybe he was going to pass out. “Listen, kid.” He made his words small and tight and angry and threatening. “Don’t ever say that again, you hear me? Aaron Hill has no children.” He hissed the words, quiet so no one else could hear. “Don’t ever tell a lie like that again, do you understand?”
That’s when Cory realized something. He didn’t need to stand here and explain himself to Mr. Bond. He knew the truth and so did his mother, and so did Aaron Hill. That’s why they were his guests today. Instead of saying anything back, he took his cookies and the napkin, and marched past Mr. Bond and out the door. To the place beside Megan, where finally he could do what he hadn’t been able to do once inside the small room.
He could breathe.
TEN
Megan was just about to give up on the idea that Aaron was ever going to meet them, when she heard commotion at the far end of the hall. Trailed by a few of his linemen, Aaron appeared, and she could tell by his expression that he was looking for them.
Cory spotted him at the same time, and he ran to meet him. “Great game!” He gave Aaron a side hug. Aaron gave Cory a quick glance, then did the same, but it didn’t last long.
“Thanks.” He was dressed in dark jeans and a neatly pressed light blue buttoned down shirt. He looked past Cory to Megan. Their eyes met and held for a long instant. “Megan…Did you like the box?”
“Well…”
They were closer now, and Megan crossed her arms. That’s when she saw it. There was a striking resemblance between Aaron and Cory. She dismissed the idea. How could she keep the boy grounded if she allowed herself to fall into his fantasy? She smiled politely at Aaron. “Actually…we took a couple tickets from your agent. Closer to the field.”
“Perfect.” He grinned at Cory. “I like the view better from down there too.”
Three of the linemen stopped, curious looks on their faces. “Come on, Hill, introduce us.” The biggest guy, a black man with a shiny bald head, grinned at her. “You keep all the pretty ones to yourself.”
Cory was still stuck to Aaron’s side, but now Aaron stepped away and put his hand on Megan’s shoulder. “This is Megan Gunn. I met her at the youth center.” Again he held her eyes.
“Hello.” Megan made a subtle move away from Aaron, and he dropped his hand. She wasn’t sure what to make of Aaron’s attention. She smiled at the lineman and shook his hand. But at the same time she spotted Bill Bond, Aaron’s agent. He was standing just outside Aaron’s box, glaring at her, listening to every word. She focused on Aaron’s teammate again. “Great game!”
“Thank you. If I’d known you were watching, I woulda been more nervous.” He looked at Cory. “And who are you?”
Not now, God…please. Make him keep it simple. She held her breath.
“I’m Cory.” He bit his lip and nodded at Megan. “She’s my mom.”
They made small talk with the three linemen for a few minutes, and then Aaron took gentle hold of Megan’s arm and led her toward the steps to his box. “Okay, guys. Enough. They’re my guests.”
She didn’t like the way he had a hold of her, as if she were his property. But she didn’t pull away, didn’t want to make a scene. Aaron’s teammates made a few more teasing remarks, and then bid goodbye to Megan and Cory. As they left, Aaron put his face near hers. “Now you get to meet the suits. It won’t take more than a few minutes.”
Megan wanted to say that she could pass. She’d already met two of them and she wasn’t impressed. But making an issue out of the moment would only take longer. They spent the next five minutes mingling with the men in suits, and during that time she watched Bill Bond pull Aaron aside. Throughout their whispered conversation, Mr. Bond didn’t look happy.
Whatever. If Aaron’s agent didn’t like him associating with people he’d met at the youth center, so be it. She held her head high and kept her attention on Cory, and whatever person was in front of her. Finally, Aaron broke free of the discussion with his agent, and he motioned to Megan. “Let’s go.”
She was more than ready. On the way out of the stadium, Aaron didn’t act any differently. Whatever his agent had told him, he wasn’t letting it change his plans for the evening. The three of them headed into the players’ parking lot, and Aaron led them to a jet-black Hummer.
“Wow!” Cory ran ahead and then stopped a few feet shy of the vehicle. “Is this really yours?”
“Yep.” Aaron pulled his keys from his pocket. He stopped and admired the vehicle. “It gets me around.”
“I’ve never even been this close to a real Hummer!” Cory waited until Aaron opened the door. Then he climbed into the backseat.
Aaron led the way around to the passenger side. He stood a little too close to Megan. “So you had fun?”
“I did.” She wasn’t impressed by his chivalry, but as he held her door open she couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit attracted. No wonder so many girls fell for him. She stepped into the car, and the smell of leather surrounded her.
On the way to the restaurant, Cory chattered on the whole time, breaking down the game one play at a time. Twice, Aaron looked at her and grinned.
“He’s excited,” she whispered.
“I know.” He kept his eyes on the road. “It’s fine. But later…I hope there’s time to get to know you better.”
The comment dissolved her attraction. She’d been right; he was hitting on her. That’s why the invitation to the game and dinner. He couldn’t care less what Cory said, as long as he had the chance to get to know her.
Megan steeled herself. She’d make her lack of interest known as soon as she had the chance.
They drove to a diner not far from Nob Hill. Megan didn’t have to ask if that’s where Aaron lived. Anyone in the city knew that much. The restaurant was small, only four tables and a drive-thru window, but Aaron seemed to know the older couple who ran it. Megan hadn’t thought about it before, but life as Aaron Hill wasn’t as glamorous as it might seem. He probably ate at small family-run places like this so that he could finish a meal without being asked for an autograph.
Halfway through their burgers, a group of teenage boys came in and almost immediately, recognized Aaron. He spent the next ten minutes signing auto
graphs and posing with one or two of them while the others snapped pictures with their cell phones.
When the boys had their food and were gone, Megan looked at him. “Is it like that often?”
A slight laugh came from him. “All the time.” He gave her a look that said he didn’t mind. “Goes with the territory.”
They talked about the upcoming away game at Denver and the one after that in San Diego. Megan was waiting for him to ask about her personally, but he kept the conversation light. Maybe he already sensed her resistance.
“So.” Cory sucked on his straw, slurping up a mouthful of chocolate shake. “Who stays at your house when you’re on the road?”
Megan felt a wave of panic. Cory would only ask the question for one reason. He was fishing, doing the one thing she’d told him not to do. She shot him a look that ordered him not to take the conversation one step further.
“No one most of the time.” Aaron picked at his french fries. “I have a housekeeper, and she has her own key. That’s about it.”
Cory must’ve caught her message, because he switched topics again, this time talking about Coach Cameron and how important the season was if he wanted to stay with the 49ers.
Megan didn’t mind that the conversation centered mostly around Cory, but she wished the night were over. Where could it possibly lead?
When they finished eating, Aaron drove them back to their apartment. Megan didn’t care if he saw how they lived. She was much too independent to worry what people thought of her or her low-income housing. She was doing the best she could.
“Wanna come up and see Oreo?” Cory’s enthusiasm hadn’t dimmed all night. “He’s our cat. He’s a 49ers fan too.”
“Cory, I’m sure Mr. Hill has to get back home.” She could sense Aaron next to her starting to protest. “Besides, we have to go over your spelling words.” She turned to Aaron and held out her hand. “Thanks for a wonderful day. Cory enjoyed it very much.”
“You can call me Aaron.” He looked disappointed, and slightly dazed. He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he held it. His eyes lifted to the apartment building outside and then back at her. “And yeah, if Cory has homework, then, sure. You better go.”
Her heart reacted strangely to the feel of her hand in his, especially for so long. A part of her wanted to stay there beside him. But common sense had something to say about the situation, so she eased her fingers from him and uttered a nervous laugh. “Maybe we’ll see you at the youth center.”
“Hey, wait.” He fumbled around the center console until he found a pen. Then he dug into another compartment and pulled out a pad of sticky notes. “Can I get your number? Maybe we can have dinner sometime?”
“You already have it!” Cory poked his head between the two front seats. “Remember? It’s at the bottom of my letter.”
Aaron’s eyes showed his surprise. He hesitated for a second or two. “Of course.” He cast a weak smile at Cory. “I almost forgot.”
Cory put his arm around Aaron’s shoulders. “This was the best day in my whole life. Thanks so much.”
“You’re welcome.” Again Aaron’s expression was slightly uncomfortable. As if he didn’t quite know what to make of Cory’s behavior. Cory slid across the seat and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Aaron turned a sheepish look toward Megan. “I really want to see you again.”
Her, not Cory. A sudden anger consumed her. She lowered her chin and aimed her gaze straight at Aaron. “Well, then…Mr. Hill…I guess you might want to read his letter.”
He did a short laugh. “Wait a minute…I read it a few weeks ago. I already told him back when—”
She held up her hand. “Don’t lie to me, Mr. Hill. And don’t lie to that little boy.” She kept her tone kind and gracious, but she could see her words were hitting him hard. “You can fool him, but you can’t fool me. You haven’t read his letter.” She opened the door and gave him a final look. “I’m pretty sure we’ll all know when you actually do.” She stepped onto the ground. Her smile was the type reserved for annoying customers at Bob’s Diner. “Thanks, again. Cory wasn’t kidding. This was the best day of his life.”
With that, she turned and took Cory’s hand. They were through the apartment door and halfway up the stairs before Megan exhaled. She was right about Aaron Hill, and she couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t interested in Cory at all. For whatever reason, he’d taken a liking to her. Whether he was a banker or a pro football player, it didn’t matter. The feeling wasn’t mutual. Because for all his kindness and manners tonight, he’d broken Megan’s cardinal rule. He’d lied to a child. And not just any child either. Because Cory never belonged to Aaron Hill, no matter what Amy had told the boy, and no matter how much they looked alike. He belonged to her.
The way he always would.
ELEVEN
Aaron barely paid attention to the road as he made his way from the Mission District north to his home in a gated area of Nob Hill. His heart and head were spinning in different directions, making him wonder at his sanity.
Megan Gunn had turned him down flat. She wasn’t the least bit interested, and that was a first. For as long as Aaron could remember, girls had been easy for him. Women lined up to talk to him after games and practices, and in hotel lobbies across the country.
That’s why Amy had been so special. She wasn’t a groupie. Amy knew him in the deepest places of his soul, but since then he’d never let another woman get that close. There hadn’t been any need, and besides, he never wanted to let anyone that close ever again.
Until now.
Megan wasn’t glamorous or done up, the way the girls in his world were. She was too thin to be a cheerleader and her makeup would never stand out in a photo shoot. But her beauty stopped his heart each time he saw her. More than that, he was taken by her sheer determination and utter independence. The way she refused to call him Aaron, even.
He pulled into his driveway, parked his Hummer, and headed inside. Most game nights he dropped into his recliner and turned on ESPN. But not tonight. Tonight he needed quiet, so he could sort through the conversations from his time with Megan and Cory.
Mostly Megan. The boy was nice, but he was like any other kid. His constant chattering made it hard for Aaron to get to know Megan, hard for her to see who he really was. Still, until the very end of the evening, Aaron thought things were going great. Megan seemed relaxed and happy, like she was enjoying his company. Then at the end she pulled out the Mr. Hill thing.
And that’s when the whole night crashed and burned.
He wanted her number, of course. How else could he set up a date or have a conversation without the kid interrupting the whole time? He’d planned from the moment he suited up before the game to ask her if he could call. Not that he was very good at getting numbers. They were usually given to him, unsolicited.
Not once when he tried to imagine how the evening would go had he thought that when he’d ask for her phone number, Cory would pipe in and say he’d written it on his letter. How could he have remembered the boy’s statement about writing his phone number at the bottom of the letter? Or known that Megan would figure out the minute he asked her for it that he hadn’t read the letter?
He groaned and let his head fall back against the recliner. Now that he thought about it, he vaguely remembered the kid saying something about a phone number back at the youth center. How could he be so stupid? The first time he’d lied to the kid about the letter, he’d made a mental note: next time he opened his locker, he’d dig around the bottom and find the envelope. Then he’d read it, so the next time he saw the boy he could look him in the eyes and talk about whatever he’d written.
After spending an evening with the kid, Aaron could pretty well write the letter himself. Dear Aaron, you’re my favorite player…I’ve been watching you since I was two…I’ve waited all my life to meet you…I’m the biggest 49ers fan in the whole city, etc., etc., etc.
The last part of the night hadn’t worked out at all like he p
lanned. He actually figured maybe he’d walk her and Cory up to their front door—or as it turned out—up to their apartment. He imagined Megan getting Cory off to bed, and the two of them sitting around her dining room table drinking coffee and getting to know each other. A kiss wasn’t out of the question the way he first imagined it.
Frustration simmered in his belly. The boy would’ve loved it if Aaron came up with them. Megan had cut the possibility short. It was only nine o’clock when he dropped them off. And they had all day Sunday to get his homework done, but Aaron could hardly argue with her. Megan had her mind made up before they pulled up in front of her apartment.
He closed his eyes and imagined her home, her neighborhood. It was only a few blocks from the youth center, a neighborhood that was rough in the daytime. At night a single mother like Megan shouldn’t even consider going outside. He’d read once in the Chronicle that the Mission District—the poorest in San Francisco—was also home to more kids per square block than any other in the city.
Kids like Cory.
He opened his eyes, stood, and wandered into the kitchen where he poured himself a glass of water and leaned against the dishwasher. The housekeeper must’ve started it before she left, because the door was still warm. He thought about Megan and Cory. They didn’t have a car, clearly. Like so many people, they probably walked and took the BART everywhere. No telling how they’d made it to the game earlier that day.
He sighed. Maybe that’s why he was taken with Megan Gunn. She was a fighter, a survivor. How else could she be a single mom to Cory and still keep food on the table?
He realized then that he hadn’t once asked her what she did. As if somehow being a foster mother might be her only job. But that wasn’t possible. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have any sort of home at all. Money from the state for foster care paid only enough for a few trips to the grocery store. Derrick had told him that.